Toy



Nov. 26, 1957 N. A. KECK ,8 ,160

TOY

Filed- Feb. '7, 1956 Y @za u79 7/ yfw/vaw/e a c ame/5 min/66g United States atent TOY Norman A. Keck, Joliet, [1].

Application February 7, 1956, Serial No. 563,892

Claims. (Cl. 46-206) This application relates to a toy and more particularly to a toy of the type which can be rolled across a surface and will return again in a counter direction.

An object of the invention is to provide a toy which may be rolled along a surface a distance and in so doing build up sufficient tension in an elastic member to cause the toy to return again substantially to the place of starting.

Another object is to provide such a toy which is simply constructed and of few parts.

Another object is to provide such a toy which is stable and which will keep its direction well so that after being rolled along a surface it will return along substantially the same path, and so that this same alignment is maintained by each of the rollers or cylinders which rotate.

Another object is to provide such a toy which will accommodate itself to irregular surfaces, allowing each of the roller members to yield independently to surface irregularities, and also allowing each end of a roller to yield substantially independently of the other end of the roller.

Other objects and advantages of my improved structure will be apparent as the specification proceeds.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the toy;

Figure 2 is a side view;

Figure 3 is a sectional view of one end portion, the sec tion being taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 4;

Figure 4 is a sectional view of the end portion shown in Figure 3, the section being taken along line 4-4 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is an end View illustrating the action of the rollers when passing over an irregular surface.

As illustrated, the device includes a frame in rectangular form, which may be made of wire or any other suitable material, having sides 11 and 12, and ends 13 and 14.

Within the frame are cylinders 15 and 16 which serve as rollers for the toy. These cylinders are hollow and may be made of thin sheet material such as the walls of an ordinary metal can commonly used in the food industry.

Referring first to cylinder 15 and Figure 1 of the drawing, this cylinder is disposed within the frame 10 so that its axis is parallel with the end frame member 13 and its ends evenly spaced from the side frame members 11 and 12.

Located centrally of the cylinder 15 are the spaced perforations 17, 18, 19 and 20, and diametrically opposite these are the spaced perforations 21, 22, 23, and 24. Perforations 17 and 19 are matched with the diametrically opposite perforations 24 and 22 nearest the right hand end of the cylinder. A cord or wire is passed through these perforations to form the supporting members 26 and 27 which extend between the cylinder walls and cross at the point 28 which is on the axis of the cylinder. Similarly, the cord or wire is passed through the right hand set of perforations to form the supporting members 29 and 30 which cross at point 31 on the axis of the cylinder.

Alternateiy, I may arrange the perforations one way or the other from the diametrically opposite positions above described, so that members 26 and 27 cross at a point removed from the axis of the cylinder. The same may be accomplished with members 29 and 30. When one or both of these crossing points are at one side of the cylinder axis, I obtain a novel bouncing effect on the frame of the toy as the toy is moved along a surface and as it returns through its own propulsion.

An elastic band 32 has its outer end connected with the right side member 12 of the frame and has its inner end connected with the supporting members 29-30 at point 31, and a second elastic band 33 has its outer end connected with the left side member 11 of the frame, and has its inner end connected with the supporting members 26-27 at point 28.

Cylinder 16 is constructed and mounted similarly to cylinder 15, having pairs of crossed members extending diametrically within the cylinder, the pairs being located centrally of the cylinder but spaced apart, with an elastic band extending from the crossing point of the right hand pair of cylinders to the right hand side frame member, and an elastic band extending from the crossing point of the left hand pair of members to the left hand side frame member. Preferably, the axis of this cylinder 16 is parallel with the axis of cylinder 15 and also with the end frame members.

As indicated in connection with cylinder 15, the cylinder 16 may also have one or both of the pairs of crossed members arranged in non diametrical fashion so that the crossing point is at one side of the cylinder axis, this being an alternate construction.

In a sense the cylinders 15 and 16 constitute respectively the front and rear wheels of a simulated vehicle.

In operating this device, a person such as a child, or in fact anyone who should care for an amusing experience with a responsive toy, may grasp the frame and push the device along a surface a distance, or give it a push so that it moves a distance along the surface by momentum. In so moving, the cylinders 15 and 16 rotate, causing the bands 32 and 33 associated with each cylinder to be twisted, thus bringing them under tension. At the end of such forward movement the tension which has been built up in the elastic bands moves to produce rotation of the cylinders and so propels the device in a counter direction, until the bands art twisted in an opposite direction, and then tension in the bands cause the device to move forwardly again, and so on, until the toy stops wit-h the bands untwisted or substantially so.

An important feature of the device is the mounting of the cylinders in the frame. It may be noted that the bands 32 and 33 together with the pairs of supporting members 26-27 and 29-30 make up an axle structure which, due to the character of the bands 32 and 33, is elastic. By having the supporting members located centrally of the cylinder a good amount of freedom is given to elevation of either end of the cylinder. In this connection, we may note Figure 5 which illustrates the elevation of the left hand end of the cylinder to pass easily over the bump 34 on the surface over which the toy is traveling. By having these pairs of supporting members spaced apart, the cylinders are maintained in their proper alignment so that their axes are parallel or substantially so, causing the toy to move in a straight path back and forth, and to move freely without the binding action which would be occasioned if the cylinders should not remain in alignment.

The proper operation of the toy is, of course, dependent on friction between the cylinders and the surface over which the toy is moved. To assist in this respect I prefer to use the rubber bands 35 and 36 extending respectively about the left hand and right hand end edge portions of the cylinder '15. Similar bands extend about the end edge portions of cylinder 16. Instead of rubber bands, it is understood that other friction bands of any suitable kind.

may be employed.

The elastic bands 32 and 33 maybe rubber bands or may be madeof any suitable elastic material. In the illustrated embodiment endless bands are used, and in assembling the device'with endless bands, the cord or wire is passed, for example, first through perforation 18, then through the elastic band 32, and next through perforation 2'4, and in sequence through perforation 22, elastic band 32, perforation 20, then through perforation 19, elastic band 33, perforation 23, and then finally through perforation 21, elastic band 33 and perforation '17, and may be tied or twisted to the other end of the cord or wire. The side frame members may be then be passed through the elastic bands before being secured together in the fixed rectangular form.

While this invention has been illustrated and described in terms of a preferred modification, those who are skilled in this art will apperciate thatmany changes can be made, and the invention may take many forms, all within the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a toy, the combination of a frame, a cylinder, two pairs of supporting members extending between the walls of said cylinder, each of said pairs crossing at a point along the axis of said cylinder which is spaced from the crossing point of the other pair, an elastic band having its outer end connected with'said frame and extending axially into the right hand end of said cylinder, the inner end of said band being connected at the crossing point of the pair of supporting members which is nearest the right hand end of said cylinder, and a second elastic band having its outer end connected'to said frame and extending axially into the left hand end of said cylinder, the inner end of said second band being connected at the crossing point of the pair of supporting members which is nearest of the left hand end of said cylinder, said elastic bands forming an axle structure for mounting said cylinder within said frame for rotation thereof against the tension of said bands.

2. In a toy, the combination of a frame, a hollow cylinder Within said frame, supporting structure within said cylinder providing two fixed points of support, one of said points being located nearer one end of said cylinder and the other point being located nearer the other end of said cylinder, an elastic 'band extending from said one point of support to the side-of: said frame nearest said one end of the cylinder, and an elastic band extending from said other point of support *to the side of said frame nearest said other end of said cylinder, said bands forming a resilient axle structure for rotatably mounting said cylinder within said frame against-the tens'ion of said bands.

3. In a toy, the structure set forth in claim 2 wherein said supporting structure includes two pairs of cords extending between the walls of said cylinder, each of said pairs providing at theircrossing points a point of attachment for an inner end of one oflsaid-elastic bands.

4. In a toy, the structure set forth in claim 3 wherein at least one of said crossing pointsis radially spaced from the axis of. said cylinder so as to provide an eccentric mounting which imparts a Wobbling movement as the cylinder is rolled across asurface.

5. In a toy, the structure set forth in claim 3 wherein a single length .of cord is threaded through the walls of said cylinder to form said two pairsof cords which make up :said supporting structure.

References Cited in the file-of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 602,258 Haupt Apr. 12, 1898 967,352 Ecton Aug. 16, 1910 1,566,495 Mallard Dec. 23, 1925 2,607,161 Swebilius Aug. 19, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 286,256 Germany July 29, 1915 604,183 Germany Sept. 27, 1934 255,450 Switzerland June 30, 1948 

